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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Writing in 140: Organic Description

Sometimes, I come across stories so heavy with thick description that the stories move at a dirge pace…if they move at all. A writer might, for instance, introduce a new character and then suddenly halt the story to provide a paragraph or more of character description—from race, hair color, height, and weight to personality and attire. When I see this, I talk to clients about weaving description organically into the story. Everything hinges on the story. As you are describing people, locations, buildings, etc., it’s important to ask yourself, “What descriptions are integral to the story I’m telling?” Once you get answers to that question, then ask yourself, “What is the best way to weave these descriptions into the story so that they develop people, locations, buildings, etc. and, most importantly, keep the story moving?”

-----Writing in 140 is my attempt to say something somewhat relevant about writing in 140 words or less.

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Shon Bacon is an author, editor, and educator. She has published both creatively and academically; her debut solo novel, Death at the Double Inkwell is available for purchase. Shon also interviews women writers on her popular blog ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING. You can learn more about Shon's writings at her official website, and you can get information about her editorial services at CLG Entertainment. Currently, Shon is busy editing, promoting her debut project, writing screenplays, and pursuing her Ph.D. in Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University.

In a short story, the whole focus is on character development and description, and the challenge is to squeeze it in. Plot is secondary. In a novel, you should have room for some description, but there is a vast difference between a 300,000 word multi-generational historical saga and 'pulp fiction,' which is all I ever wanted to write in the first place.

Kathryn, I think you're right. I do that, too, in my own writing. My initial drafts are usually very descriptive, and I definitely think it's because I do several "screenings" in my head of the movie (er, story, lol) before I sit to write, so that first draft is usually very thick with description. Through revisions, I tend to cut out the description that guided me to write the story, and then smooth and revise and rewrite that description that's vital to the story.